Arsenic-Free Wood Preservative Wins EPA Green Chemistry Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Chemical Specialties, Inc., the 2002 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its environmentally advanced wood preservative, ACQ Preserve. Read More
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Chemical Specialties, Inc., the 2002 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its environmentally advanced wood preservative, ACQ Preserve. CSI developed ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) as an arsenic-free replacement for CCA (chromated copper arsenate).
Over the past few years, scientists, environmentalists, and regulators have raised concerns regarding the risks that arsenic may pose to children who come into contact with CCA-treated wood in playground equipment, picnic tables and decks.
The wood treatment industry has voluntarily agreed to phase out the use of CCA for domestic uses over the next few years.
Henry S. Cole & Associates, a Washington-based environmental consultancy, was named co-recipient of this year’s Green Chemistry award. “This is toxic use reduction at its very best,” said Dr. Henry S. Cole, president of Cole & Associates. “The phase-out of CCA will virtually eliminate the use of arsenic in the U.S., since 90% of the arsenic in this country is used for CCA.”
Cole added, “CSI’s development of ACQ is a good example of how a company can reap commercial benefits by addressing public concerns on the environment.”
According to U.S. EPA, the replacement of CCA with ACQ represents one of the most dramatic pollution prevention advancements in recent history. The shift will eliminate the use of 40 million pounds of arsenic and 64 million pounds of hexavalent chromium each year.
